This time last week

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Remember I told you about the stupid taxman telling me I was being penalised for not submitting my tax return on time? And how I wrote a bolshy letter to him telling him that it had been submitted online in time and he had already cashed my cheque so he should know that?

Well, I had another letter from him on Saturday, again saying I hadn't submitted my tax return. I read it and flounced into the study where Husband was looking at cars on the internet (other men peruse sexy young women; mine loves old land rovers). 'Look!' I said. 'They are so stupid; they've written to me again. Will you please find all the details of my submission so I can write to them again with proof?'

Husband reluctantly dragged himself away from dreams of romping in the mud in a four-wheel drive, and set about the search while I was out.

On my return I asked, 'Well, did you find it? What does it say?'

His reply was sort of vague. I listened and then said, 'So my tax return did go in on time?'
'Well, I did it.'
'So it went in on time?'
'Well, it seems I didn't actually submit it.'

I've written to the tax man again - a slightly more apologetic letter this time - and now I have to wait and see if they'll accept my excuses.

In the letter that arrived this morning they suggest that while I'm waiting to hear if my appeal is successful I might want to pay the penalty anyway because it will incur interest if my appeal fails and I haven't paid it. Yes, right.

It's going to be one of those weeks ...

I can see.

I have a bad habit of not bothering to open mail if it looks boring; it's now reached the point where I don't even pick it up from the floor where it's landed.

But this morning, with new determination and good intentions, I picked it up. To find a letter from the tax man. 'That's okay,' I thought. 'He'll be thanking me for paying my dues.'

Huh! No such thing. He's trying to penalise me £100 for a late tax return! Rubbish! Not only was my assessment done online before the end of January (when it was due), but he cashed my payment cheque on 1st February. And I have the bank statement to prove it if he wants to argue! The little fibber!

Have you submitted your tax return?

A week or so ago I had a phone call from a lady at the tax office. She said she had noticed that I hadn't submitted my tax return yet and was I aware it had to be done by 31st January.

I said yes I did know but it was very kind of her to be concerned and I would write myself a big note to make sure I remembered to do it.

It's nice to think that they take such a personal interest, isn't it?

Now I didn't want to let her down - imagine her disappointment if, come 1st February, she checked and my form wasn't in! - so this afternoon I sat down to do my accounts so accountant, aka Husband, could do the online bit for me.

It took me all of half an hour and the back of an envelope.